Spamming for Good is the Wrong Description of What Dr. Mani, Roger Carr, Jen Lemens, and Other Good Personal Fundraisers Really Do!

The image is from Roger Carr who is raising money to support the Arthritis Foundation’s annual nationwide event, Arthritis Walk, that raises awareness and funds to fight arthritis. I've just donated to his campaign and here's why. Hint - the three R words.

Reciprocity: Roger Carr helped me with winning the America's Giving Challenge he blogged (more than once I might add), left supportive comments, retweeted to his network (connected me to Dr. Mani), and personally donated to my campaign. He invested some of his social capital in my cause and I want to invest in his.

Relationship: It's spring fundraising season and I'm getting spammed. People (I don't know even know or have a relationship with ..) are sending me broadcast emails and generic private messages on Facebook asking me to donate. What no coffee? Roger Carr didn't do that. We have an ongoing relationship and he only has to ask me through one channel.

Dr. Mani, who was a master of personal fundraising with his CHD Awareness Day and who also helped with the America's Giving Challenge, was featured in a 2006 FAST COMPANY magazine report about his work online helping children with congenital heart defects. The article was titled: “Dr.Mani - Spamming for Good”

You can contact just about anyone you want. The only rule is you
need to contact them personally, with respect, and do it months before
you need their help! Contact them about them, not about you. Engage.
Contribute. Question. Pay attention. Read. Interact.

Then, when you've earned the right to attention and respect, months
and months later, sure, ask. It takes a lot of time and effort, which
is why volume isn't the answer for you, quality is.

Before you send out canned broadcast messaging via Twitter, Facebook, Email, LinkedIn or whatever other social media you are using, take a walk in your potential donors' email box. Do they really need to get the same canned message form you in multiple channels? Have you built a relationship?

Are you spamming for good or are you using the three R's effectively? What is the secret to success of social networking for good?

Comments

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Beth,

I appreciate you!

Thanks for informing your readers about arthritis and my fundraising efforts in this post. I also appreciate the 3 Rs you describe so well. Relationships are important in almost everything we do in life. Fundraising is not an exception.

Beth -- excellent post -- I am afraid my passion /zeal sometimes puts me at odds with the three Rs you describe -- you and Roger have both helped me in the past -- and I hope I have played by the three Rs and Seth's words of wisdom -- thanks for the reminder today of what social networking is really all about.

You can buy a ripe tomato today -- lot harder to plant your own and wait -- but oh that fruit is so much more sweet!